FLOOD LEVEL DROPPING

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29316, 22 September 1960, Page 14

FLOOD LEVEL DROPPING

Hauraki Plains Areas

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, September 21. The flood crisis in the lower Hauraki Plains appears to be on the wane. Throughout today levels in the Piako river and the ponding areas behind Ngatea and Kerepehi fell steadily. By mid-morning the level was 4J inches below the maximum recorded level and a further drop of between two and three inches was expected by nightfall. Water control engineers do not think the high spring tide tonight will counteract the drop in level sufficiently to cause trouble. Tension was off in the flood centre of Ngatea today. Although there was a good fall of rain last night there was no noticeable effect on the river. However, patrolling of stopbanks is expected to continue tomorrow at least. During the day Army assault boats used for carting sandbags to the bank at Pitt’s road were withdrawn. Men who had been brought in from outside the area to help with the flood work are looking forward to the possibility of a week-end at home. in the Komata area, near Paeroa, today people were starting to move back into homes which had been flooded out when the stop banks on the Komata stream broke. Hay for hungry cows continued to come into the district.